Railway-rail joint.



No.-885,561. PATENTED APR, 21, .908,

E- G. ELIE.

RAILWAY RAIL 3' YNT.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 27,1907.

W1 YWESSE UNITED sTAt ns Parana OFFICE.

EZRA O. ALE, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-RAIL JOINT.

No. cancel.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 21. 1909.

Application filed Key 27, 1907. Serial No. 375,856.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that LEzRA Q. ALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county ofBlair and State of Pennsylwaning-have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Railway-Rail Joints, of

which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to certain new and useful improvements in joints for railwayrails. i

The prime object of my invention is to provide astrong, durable and reliable rail joint, so constructed and assembled, as to reduce to a minimum the liability of the spreading of the rails at the meeting ends thereof.

A further-object is to dis ense with the use of boltsand nuts in assem ling and securing the several parts constituting the joint.

--Another object of this invention is to save the expense and labor due to the boring or punching of a series of holes through the Web of the rail near the meeting end thereof,

which practice is now commonly employed,

for the reception of bolts or other similar securing means, therebykeeping the rail intact and maintaining its sohdity at a point where the greatest strength is required;

The foregoing and such other objects as may occur from the ensuing description are Attained by the combination, arrangement and'location of parts illustrated by the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring tothe drawings :Figure 1 represents inside elevation the improved rail joint embodying my invention. Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken on the line a:.:c,-Fig. '1. Figs. 3 and 4 respectively,

' are perspective views of the securing keys plate, between its upwardly projecting side walls 3, 3', is adapts to receive and support the meeting endsof the rails 4, 4', sai rails being formed with a shouldered web portion as clearly shown by'dotted lines.

In securing the rails 4, 4, together in proper alinemant I employ fish-plates or bars 5, 5, adapted-to enga e the upper surfacepf the base of the rails, t 6 web portion thereof and the undcrsui'face of the head or trend of the rails. The outer surface of each fish-bar or plate is gradually inclined outwardl from the upper to the lower portion theree and each is provided with a plurality-of re- ..cesses 6, adapted to receive oneof theiseeuring keys 7, which engages with a key 8, said keys 7 and 8, and their functions being here inafter more fully described.

The lower ortion'of the bridge-plate 2, is provided, with shoulders 9, 9, which rest against the inner side of each of the ties 1, 1, respectively, near the uppcrporti'on of the same, thus maintaining, in connection withthe securing means, all of the several parts in theirpro err-elation one to the other. The said com ined base and bridge plate .2, is

also provided with openings 10, at each side through which are passed the securing keys 7 and 8.

The exterior lower surface of the fish-plate. or bars 5, 5, at all oints not/recessed, is so fitted as to contact rmly With the inner surface of the walls 3, 3, of the bridge-plate 2,

thus rigidly holding the fish-platesin contact withthe rails and thereby preventing lateral dis lacenient or movement of both the rails an fishlates. The key 8, which'is adapted to pass t rough the openings-in the plate 2, is made of steel, and its lower end is provided with an outwardly projectin head 13:,which engages the lower surface 0 thecombined base and bridge-plate 2, such head servin to prevent upward movement of the key, an at a point intermediate of the length of said key 8, is another outwardly projecting lug 14y adapted to contact with the upper surface of the side wall of the late 2, to prevent downward movement 0 the key; thethickened body portion of the key between the head 13,

and-lug 14, bein adapted to rest in contact with the outer si e face or surface of the plate 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The upper and thinner portion of this key 8, is of a resilient character, and at its extreme upper portion is provided an inwardly projecting pointed head or hook 15. The securin key 7, is also made of steel, and a portion 0 its outer side 

